Minab Condemns Suicide Bomb Attacks

MINAB condemns the evil suicide bomb attacks on one of Pakistan's most famous Sufi shrines, Hazrat Daata Ganj Baksh yesterday killing 42 people and injuring 175 in Lahore.

"This is a barbaric attack from people who are evil,"

"Daata Saheb's shrine is considered by Sunni-Sufi Muslims as a holy place and we condemn such evil attacks in the strongest terms".

"We call upon the Government of Pakistan and our Government in the UK to leave no stone unturned in rooting out such forms of extremism and protect the holy places. Such extremists are evil murderers, who are destroying our cohesion and damaging the dignity of our holy faith Islam".

"We know there is extreme anger amongst the Sunni-Sufi Muslims all over the world including the UK. We would urge everyone to stay calm and not take actions that may be criminal. We would urge everyone to pray for those innocent people who have been murdered by such barbaric and evil people", he said.

Notes to Editors:

The Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) is the representative body of all UK Muslim denominations set up to promote good governance in Mosques and Imam Training Institutions through a process of self regulation.

It has over six hundred mosques and training institutions as its members.It is a charity registered under the laws of England & Wales.It is a community led independent body, non sectarian in its outlook, representing the diversity of Islam with no role in matters of theology and is broad based with an accountable system of representation.

2 July 2010